Anonymous writes...

Hello Greg, your show is awesome! I have some questions that I hope you can answer at some point in the future:

1) At the end of "Depths", when everyone is in the cave, it looks like Barbara is not wearing sunglasses (or anything else to hide her identity). Batman wants to keep Tim and Dick's identities secret, so why not Batgirl?

2) You've said in a previous response on here (see? I checked!) that there is "minimal awareness" of life on Mars. If this is the case, what is the justification for the government spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a satellite to communicate with Mars? I have a feeling you're going to answer "to increase awareness."

3) As an aerospace enthusiast, I was pleased with the relative accuracy with which you portrayed Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. I only saw 2 "inaccuracies"- the launch pads aren't right on the water like that and one person (Carol) would not be able to speed up a launch. I can easily forgive both because they were plot-driven, and also because this is technically an alternate earth. No question on this, just a comment. Nice work by your team and the artists! The rocket was quite accurately drawn.

4) Does the Justice League vote on new members at regular intervals (for example, once per year)?

Best wishes!

Jack-Pumpkinhead writes...

Dear Greg,
Watched Depths today, and I mean the following phrase with the utmost respect;
GREG WEISMAN YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARD!!!! I loved the end of that episode!!!! I mean you really had me going there with Artemis' death, but then the reveal that she's alive & Kaldur's a mole for them? Best "never-saw-it-coming" moment in animation. EVER. Thank you, thank you so much.
Onto other things I enjoyed in this episode, thank you for explaining why Conner & Megan broke up. Personally, I side with Conner, she is venturing into Psimon's territory with her interrogations. I also like the subtle bit of Carol wearing purple, very nice. And Tim Curry, oh GOD I love that man as Gordon Godfrey. He is hilarious.
Pleas pass on my praise to everyone involved in that last scene, and I eagerly await next week.

Cruzerflash writes...

Is there a reason for leaving out Superboy and Ms. M from the Team's super secret undercover mission?
I don't see why you guys would choose all of the original members of Team to participate in this mission, except for these two; it would be more understandable if you guys had chosen the original 6, instead of just the 4 to keep the undercover secret from the League and the new Team recruits; seems a little prejudice towards the Martian and half-Kryptonian, lol jk :)
Good episode none the less
Keep up the good work!

0832

JSA Fan writes...

Hi Greg.

Absolutely loved Depths. One of the characters on the show I know the least about is Black Manta.

A few questions about him:
Prior to associating with and joining the Light, was he generally a mercenary, or did he usually pursue personal
objectives?
I noticed the African tribal masks decorating his
quarters. I assume this shows pride in his heritage. But do his motivations for his actions include a desire for revenge for damage done to the continent, past and present, by many nations?
How long have he and Aquaman been enemies?

Thanks for taking my questions.

Anonymous writes...

has anyone who worked with you called you a troll? and have you ever intentionally decided to troll fans?

CGYJ writes...

Mr. Greg Weisman,

When you said that "Depths" was the one of most dramatic episodes to date, you were absolutely NOT kidding around! I found this episode to the BEST episode of this first bunch of Season Two episodes. I was extremely happy by the way it mostly turned out, so I'd like to ask two questions.

1. Based on Nightwing's statement about his own leadership, it appears he only started at the beginning of 2015, assuming this is correct. If I'm interpreting this correctly, does that mean that Aqualad's leadership lasted for the entire first four years of the time-skip, and everything that we've learned about Kaldur so far happened during that time?

2. I'm happy that Aqualad was a good guy the ENTIRE time, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Interestingly, based on the conversation between them, only Nightwing, Artemis and Wally know the truth, and apparently they have for quite some time. Being the leader of The Team I can understand how Nightwing knew, but considering the nature of Aqualad's undercover work, how did Artemis and Wally get involved with protecting Kaldur's cover in the first place?

Thanks for taking the time to read this posting.

JavierBC writes...

Hi Greg more than a question , i just wanted to comment on the scene that Superman tries to save the kronoteans from the explosion, even risking his own life in the process. I must say that was one the best representation of what Superman truly is at his core, a true hero that no matter what will defend all life , even at the cost of his. That was a truly emotional scene , and as a superman fan for manyyears, Thank you for giving probably one of the best moment if not the best moment for him in any medium. Keep up the amazing work all the production team, hopefully we have many years left of stories to come.

Seriously Ready to Punch Someone writes...

Anybody know why Young Justice episodes are no longer being added to Cartoon Network On Demand on Time Warner Cable? Who do I have to beat half to death with a sack of moldy gym socks over this? Kari? Kari!?!

Kevin writes...

Was anyone on the Team besides Zatanna an Authorized Guest before they joined?

B writes...

Is Artemis's glamoured appearance based on a character from DC Comics (and if so, who, of course)?

Paul writes...

In the Mount Justice scene at the end of "Depths", who was the girl standing next to Jaime Reyes, and who was the girl being comforted by Barbara Gordon?

Linda Park writes...

Hi Greg! Does Dick see Artemis as a dear friend, a sister or anything more? I'm sure he wouldn't do anything to hurt Wally but... after watching "Depths" I don't know what to think.

Cooper writes...

Hello Mr. Weisman I have 2 questions:

1. Does Aquaman's telepathy in the show only affect fish life or can it also affect mammals/humans in some way?

2. If Aquaman can affect humans does Black Manta's helmet protect him from telepathy?

Yolymar writes...

No question. Just praise.

I finished watching "Depths" well over two hours ago, and I am still buzzing as if I were on a sugar rush. It was BRILLIANT. BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT. Loved it!

I was sure after "Happy New Year!" that if we gave this new season a chance we'd love it. "Alienated" and "Salvage" made me start loving it officially. This episode just sealed it; I am head-over-heels in love with this episode.

Kudos to everyone involved in its creation!

dailyplanetintern writes...

Wow... That's all I have to say... WOW! What an episode! You promised that it was the most dramatic one to date and you weren't kidding!

This series' writing has been superb since the beginning but you've REALLY kicked it into high gear this season! "Depths" was FLAWLESS! Applause for you and the whole team that bring this show to the small screen!

A lot of things were touched on this week that people have wondered about. Is Kaldar truly bad? What exactly was the reason that Conner broke up with M'Gann, and what was meant by her giving him no choice? (Although I had pretty much guessed that it had to do with her new "interrogation" technique. But who would have thought that M'Gann would have tried to tamper with Conner's mind? No wonder he broke up with her!) Did Nightwing (Robin then, maybe?) ever date Zatanna?

All those little nuances were answered tying off all the loose ends. Something that you rarely see on TV especially in an animated series.

And I have to say that I completely agree with Conner. La'Gann is a jerk. At least to Conner. It's like he just loves to rub it in Conner's face that he's with his ex. Although I think it's just a reflex mechanism. He knows that Conner is major competition for M'Gann's heart, so he's trying to stake his claim to her.

Although I do find it surprising that as close as M'Gann and Conner were that she did pick up with La' Gann so quickly. He may not be a rebound now, but he had to have been at the start. No one falls in love again that quickly after a long term relationship. But who knows? Maybe Martians do?

Q1. How long was it actually between Conner dumping her that M'Gann started dating La'Gann?

I had been wondering as many people had if Kaldar really had turned to the dark side or if it was part of a deep undercover operation. (I'm personally glad that he's not evil! Even though I have to admit that it would have been equally good story telling to have had him really turn. There's noting more dramatic than having someone who was once a teammate; someone who once watched your back to then turn around and try to stab it.)

Once I saw "Alienated" I was for sure he had turned his back on the team especially after the bomb went off, but I always have had doubts since then and these were my reasons:

R1. Kaldar was the most level headed person on the team. It seemed odd that out of everyone he would be the one to go off the deep end.

R2. When you're doing the hero gig, before long you're going to loose a teammate in death. And at its worst it may end up being someone you love romantically. That's just something that you have to be prepared for.

R3. He learning that his father was Black Manta didn't seem like a good enough reason for him to turn either. It wasn't like he didn't know anyone on his own team that was in a similar situation. Both Artemis and Conner have biological connections to villains and mercenaries.

R4. And this is the best one: He warned Nightwing and Superboy of the presence of the bomb and how much time was left before it was to go off. What villain would do that? That had stuck with me ever since I watched that episode. Now I've seen villains call attention to bombs in the past but NO villain ever says how much time is left on the clock to the hero... good to know that you left is some bread crumbs to follow if we were smart enough to pay attention. ^_~.

Q2. What kind of pill did Artemis bite down on that made her heart stop beating?

I also have one question regarding "Alienated" that was brought to the fore in this episode.

Q3. Who was it that set the bomb in "Alienated"?

I always thought that it was Kaldar who set the bomb but was it him or the mysterious "Partner"?

This season is going SOOOOOOOO well! I'm surprised a third season hasn't been announced.

Q4. Are you and your team getting nervous that you haven't been picked back up yet? (I hope by the time you get to my questions that you have been picked up for another season and that the question will me moot.)

It seems to me that if you lost any viewers that they should come back. Some were enraged over the time jump, but more or less because Kaldar, Artemis, and Wally were missing, but since then it's been shown that they are all alive and well and still very much in the game at some level or another. Pretty much the only thing that we missed in not seeing the past 5 years is seeing some of the characters date and Conner's relationship with Superman progress. Which when you think about it isn't all that important. Heroics usually come first, love and family are a close second. Besides the scenes between Wally and Artemis contain enough love to go around. I especially loved seeing them hold hands.

Ohhh! And we got to see Carol Farris today! Very nice. Don't know if she's in a relationship with Hal on Earth 16 or not but it was nice to see her anyway.

I just have one more thing to say. I'm still waiting VERY patiently to see Lois Lane, Perry White, and Jimmy Olsen. Still waiting... I just hope I don't have to wait much longer. ^_~.

Anonymous writes...

Flat out awesome episode in Depths!!!

Aqualad is the man!

I really really felt for Superboy and I really just want him to move on with his life. Megan and him are young and they are not on the same page anymore. That much is clear. Heartbreak is a part of growing up and I really hope the writers don't just sweep it all under the carpet and just make them all lovely dovey again. It would feel so forced and feels like Lagoon Boy is the one who is being set up as the chum. I think he's a fun character.

keep up the awesome work. This show is really really tops. It treats the heroes with a lot of respect. It is better than the Justice League show some years back which was more about pimping Batman than anything else. I would love to see you and Brandon do a Justice League series.

Janey writes...

I just wanted to tell you I am in love with this show!!!
I have 2 questions.
1. I noticed in S1 in episode Downtime, Black Manta called his troops Gamma Squad, Beta Squad and the new team in Season 2 does the same thing. Was this coincidence? I'm sure if its not I will find out before you get a chance to answer :)
2. If you get a season 3(I know there will be a time skip I'm completley fine with it) how long before the fans will know if it is renewed?
And again thanks for making such a great show I love it!!!

EXALT writes...

In Season Two, the average age of the members of the Team seems to have augmented: was this intentional, or it was just a coincidence?

Moe writes...

It has been confirmed for a very long time that next year there will be a new batman series for DC nation. But recent information says there will also be a new Teen Titans go series[which is supposed to be comedy heavy..not sure how I feel about that. And it looks like its animation went very down]

Anyway my point is next year 2013 if those two shows will be on DC nation block what does that mean for Young Justice? Will DC nation be extended to two hours. Or maybe every week they will switch up the shows?

el kid writes...

Can Zatanna Learn Atlantean Sorcery?

Anonymous writes...

On Earth-16, if you had to make an educated guess, which ocean would Atlantis be located on the world map?

Spencer writes...

Does Mal Duncan have powers like he did in the comics or is he just support staff for the team

Spencer writes...

In invasion how much older did Miss Martian biologically get get biologigly, did she just grow 1 1/4 years or did did she grow 5 years

Beka writes...

Is G. Gordon Godfrey's "Bonehead List" based on Anderson Cooper's "RidicuList?"

Anonymous writes...

A few more questions, this time about Bumblebee:

1. Does she only have the two "modes"...regular size & "bee" size, or like Atom, can she be any size in between?

2. do her wings only allow flight at reduced size? Thats the only time weve seen her fly.

3. Why does she have electric "stingers"? Real Bumblebees dont sting. The sonic blasters she used in her origional comics appearance made more sense to me than the newer idea of electrical.

Thanks.

Anonymous writes...

Why does Miss Martian act so much more mature than she did in the first season if is barely a year older by Martian standards?
Do Martians mentally mature much faster than they do physically, as compared to Humans?

And wouldn't Lagoon Boy be considered a creepo by the others since he is physically in his early twenties, and they are aware that she is still relatively a teenager? (they are aware of that, arent they?)

EXALT writes...

What is the origin of Superboy's kryptonian name on YJ?

Ivan Alms writes...

How would Lexington react to all the alien technology we've seen in Younh Justice: Invasion? Would he be all giddy like a schoolgirl?

Kyle Reece writes...

I was wondering, was Blade a possible inspiration for Macbeth's modern design?

Zodisgod writes...

I was wondering if you could shed some light on the process of breaking a story for young justice. Does the storyline come first with characters who you feel will suit the story being plugged in afterwards, or do you decide on certain characters being spotlighted then working a story around them?

Nelson writes...

Are you aware that Peter David has actally written several Ben 10 episodes?

I'll list the following episodes he has currently written:

Alien Force:
1. In Charm's Way

Ultimate Alien:
1. Reflected Glory
2. Prisoner #775 is Missing
3. Solitary Alignment

hallofjustice writes...

Greg!, did you know that George Eads actually "killed" Justin Bieber on CSI? It happened in "Targets of Obsession" (Season 11 episode 15). You should talk to George about it, if you and him have time.

Anonymous writes...

If there were any cartoon series that eventually become spin-offs of Young Justice (though I'm not saying that I'm thinking that it might actually happen), then would the unofficial term for all shows that take place on Earth-16 then be collectively called the "Weismanverse?"

Reiena Grayson writes...

I was just thinking about George Eads.

I loved him on CSI, and when I found out he was voicing Barry/Flash, I was happy to see him working on something that dealt with DC Comics.

Really my question is, what was it like working with him, and what was your reason for choosing him as Barry. I love Flash in this, and well my curiosity is getting the best of me.

Daniel writes...

3. Has DC approached you guys yet with the possibility of a spin-off series in the Earth 16 continuity (JLA, JLI, Green Lantern Corps, LoSH perhaps)?

Anonymous writes...

Since Klarion was on board the Watchtower in "Auld Acquaintance", does that mean that he was A-05?

Masterdramon writes...

Well, I haven't submitted a post in over a year-and-a-half and certainly none since I became an AskGreg moderator, so while I always feel a little guilty adding to such a lengthy queue I think I've earned a YJ review or two.

Besides, it's a reminder that no matter how much frustration this show's fans cause me sometimes, the series itself is FAR more than worth the price, LOL.

What follows will be a catch-all of reviews I wrote for the benefit of a friend, tracking all of the Season 1 episodes since "Coldhearted." I may do another collection of "Young Justice: Invasion" reviews at a later date, but for now, I figured I might as well share what I have with you as long as they're already written.

Now, without further ado...

COLDHEARTED: I thought this was simply fantastic. The extended plot reference to Greg's "Green Arrow Showcase" was a lot of fun, and it really helped to emphasize just how much of a badass Count Vertigo is in this version (plus, given that he was able to co-opt L-1 himself into his scheme, I think a lot of credence is now lent to my theory that he's part of the Light's inner circle of minions, alongside Sportsmaster and the Riddler).

Speaking of which, we got Vandal Savage's first substantive appearance in the show here, and I was loving every minute of it. The animation and sound-effects teams really knocked it out of the park here in getting across the sheer WEIGHT of his every movement, emphasizing the fact that he is first-and-foremost a hulking neanderthal. And of course, there's no one better to deliver those bonechilling lines than Miguel Ferrer himself.

But of course, the real "heart" (pardon the pun) of this episode was Wally West, and Jason Spisak really rose to the occasion and carried this episode from start-to-finish. Everything was hit perfectly, from his earnestness in celebrating his sweet sixteenth to his reaction to FINALLY being informed of the M'gann/Conner relationship to the heartbreaking guilt in his voice both times he believed Perdita to be dead...to the point where the performance fully convinced me that the girl had really died, BOTH times.

The voice work (Steve Blum doing his Spike voice for Mr. West = WIN) and score were most top-notch, as per usual, but the real accomplishment here production-wise was the animation. Good LORD, was the animation fantastic in this episode - possibly the best this series has seen yet, and that's saying something. The snow effect was perfect, and just look at the close-up of Wolf on the ice fortress...that level of detail is rarely seen on something that moves so fluidly.

All-in-all, one of my favorites of the season.

IMAGE: First of all, can we all give it up for a Beast Boy origin story that actually MAKES SENSE?! I loved Gar to pieces in the comics, but there's no denying his origin makes zero sense...until now. This was some excellent pipe-laying, and the shift of his eyes from blue-to-green post-operation was a brilliant touch.

I've been looking forward to seeing Queen Bee in action since I learned that Marina Sirtis (AKA Demona, the evil sex goddess of my childhood) would be voicing her, and I was NOT disappointed. That last scene had me in chills, with her cold and calculated delivery, rather predatory treatment of the eight-year-old Garfield, and lack of concern for M'gann's physical boundaries very much evoking an image that I can only describe as "female rapist." One thing's for sure: I definitely understand now why Greg and Brandon decided to include her as a member of the Light.

Oh, and while I'm on the subject of her...allure, may I just say that I loved this pair of lines:

Robin: "Doesn't she have the power to enthrall most men?"
Batman: "And some women."

Thus YJ may well have become the first "kid's cartoon" to admit that homosexuals, y'know. Exist.

But of course, the meat of this story was M'gann, and Danica McKellar's performance was quite frankly breathtaking throughout. She may not have turned out to be the mole, but she's still easily the darkest character on the Team now...and I'm not talking about her monstrous appearance. She basically LOBOTOMIZED Psimon to keep her secret, and continues to keep it - which, given the last scene, I'm guessing is going to have consequences that stretch into Season 2.

And finally, "Hello Megan!" itself...very, very cute. Reminds me of "Blossom" in its delightful cheesiness and grown-up-to-be-a-scientist teenage star, and the theme song is quite catchy. And as for "Greg Vietti and Brandon Weisman"...well, it definitely managed to put a smile on my face.

AGENDAS: Quite possibly my favorite episode of the season, and that's saying something. The highlight was of course Lex Luthor, and as an avid fan of the character in the comics and elsewhere, I can state firmly that this WAS Lex - his absolute best moments from the comics, translated perfectly from page to screen.

But as much as Rolston's Lex completely stole the scene whenever he showed up, this was first and foremost Superboy's story...and fortunately, Superboy is only barely edged out by M'gann as the most-developed character throughout the show's history. He's clearly developed a strong personal philosophy and principles regarding "freedom" since his own liberation at the hands of Kaldur, Dick, and Wally, which makes it all the more tragic when he has to compromise those principles in agreeing that Match is too dangerous to himself and others to be "allowed" freedom. In general, it's a very effective "confronting the demons of his past" story, especially considering that it's been so long since we've even SEEN Cadmus onscreen.

Still, arguably even more engaging was the episode's B-plot revolving around the Justice League. Being a political wonk, getting this behind-the-scenes look at the League's parliamentary procedures fascinated me to no end. The back-and-forth between personalities as strong as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, etc. is something I couldn't get enough of, especially when going back knowing what we know about the results of their decision now. The Green Lanterns' double "NO!" regarding Guy Gardner remains one of the most memorable laugh-out-loud moments in the show, and Batman's answer to Wonder Woman's accusation regarding Robin's age breaks my heart every time. And speaking of Wonder Woman...DAMN does Maggie Q knock that performance out of the park.

INSECURITY: Green Arrow is my favorite comic book superhero of all time and I've really dug the addition of this version of Artemis Crock to his mythos, so along with the fact that the scriptwriter was Peter David, responsible for the tightest script of the series so far ("Secrets"), I was greatly looking forward to this one. And I was not disappointed. Both Sportsmaster and Cheshire were in fine form, and do I even need to mention Brain and Klarion? The two make a fantastic "odd couple" in so many ways, and overall Klarion's pretty much been the breakout villain of the whole show...followed closely by this very Deathstroke-ish Sportsmaster. And to top it all off, Ivo's back for another round of tinkering...and any excuse for more Peter MacNicol is good with me.

I also liked that the Light's plans really came together here. Even before getting to see Starro-Tech in action a couple episodes later, it just felt supremely satisfying to witness the installation of Warden Strange, the echinoderm from Atlantis, the Fog with data stolen from STAR Labs, Kobra-Venom, and Klarion's Chaos magic all combine into a product that justified a full season of subterfuge. The banter and cooperation between the bad guys is one of the things that really makes this show stand out for me, and this episode delivered that in spades ("Morrow's in a coma? Did I already know that?")

But yeah...back to the heroes. Specifically, Artemis and Red Arrow. Both perform as spectacular foils to each other, and while it's easy to get really peeved at Roy for his treatment of her (particularly in hindsight), I can also greatly sympathize with his viewpoint. He's a professional - it's quite literally the only life he's ever known - and even without the mole suspicion on her head Artemis has got to seem somewhat superfluous to him, a back-up archer who should be stepping aside when the moment really counts, as it so often does on missions involving the Shadows.

The two work very well in concert, but it's hard for him to see that when she's objectively just not in his league and for her to see that when she's quite justifiably concerned about exactly that same "superfluousness." It gets to the point where, even after all we know about her from the rest of the season (especially "Homefront"), the tag can really play with our expectations. Lawrence is damn good at manipulating his "baby girl," and she knows it.

Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention Joshua Keaton's cameo as the Spectacular Black Spider(-Man). Pure, unadulterated WIN right there.

PERFORMANCE: Now this was a gem, though perhaps not quite to the SAME level as the phenomenal episodes both preceding and following it; still, even when YJ is merely "really good" as opposed to "bloody fantastic" it still beats the snot out of pretty much every other show airing right now, "Legend of Korra" excluded.

Dick Grayson's been overdue for his own showcase, and this episode definitely delivered on that score. It's a really difficult task to take a story most everyone already knows and make the tragedy ring in full once again, so this show made a FANTASTIC choice in going with a "less is more" approach regarding Dick's remembrances of his family. The music, Wally's vague hints, and that distant cry of "Ladies and gentlemen, the Flyyyyyying Graaaaaaysons!"...gah, it gives me chills every single time I hear it. That scene alone is worth the price of admission.

As for the main plot, while Parasite is far from my favorite villain of the season, he plays his part quite well. This is a guy who should be terrifying - after all, he merely has to go around and tap some shoulders at a Justice League press conference and suddenly he's the most powerful entity on Earth - and this series did a MUCH better job at conveying that than the DCAU version ever did. His constant (but never over-the-top) food metaphors, his voice as supplied by the great Adam Baldwin, and the fact that he spends the entirety of his first major scene in a creepy-as-Hell clown suit all add up to a suitably unnerving villain.

The rest of the episode isn't the absolute best - but that may just be my personal preference, since I don't tend to like "circus episodes" very much - but it's filled with some fantastic moments. Superboy's B-plot is hard to watch but also highly sympathetic, as most addiction metaphors are (after all, if you could make yourself fly and shoot laser beams from your eyes with the ease of basically pushing a button, wouldn't YOU find it hard to stop?) and Nolan North pulls out some of his best acting chops in tracking the devolution of his higher mind as the Shields exert greater and greater influence. The mole plotline also continues, and we get some great lines from both Roy and Artemis out of it. And circus episode or no circus episode, that final scene with Jack Haley and Dick is utterly heartwarming.

USUAL SUSPECTS: Now, here's where things get a little tricky. Unfortunately, thanks to my position as an AskGreg moderator and some supremely idiotic and/or trollish posters who saw the Brazilian episodes weeks ahead of time, I was forced to be spoiled on several significant plot points for both this episode and "Auld Acquaintance" (including that Red Arrow was the mole, that he was a clone, that the Light has the original Roy and he's missing an arm, that Vandal would end up on the Watchtower, that Cheshire would save Artemis' life, etc.). Fortunately they were both of such ridiculously high quality that it didn't matter all that much in the long-run, but I can't pretend it didn't color my impressions watching them for the first time.

Anyway, with that out of the way...where do I start? SO DAMN MUCH happened in this one that it's almost mind-boggling. Rocket/Raquel Ervin joined the Team and four new members (five if you count the re-branded Doctor Fate) joined the League, and while we still haven't yet gotten heavy-heavy on characterizing any of them apart from Red Arrow, it really helped to further improve the "realism" of this League. The induction of new members is cause for a press conference held by Superman and broadcast live; reporters immediately take advantage of the almost unique gathering of League members to ask questions like, "Will Atlantis be joining the UN?"; they even hand out membership cards! It's the little details like that which truly impress me on this show.

Both the Team and the Light were at the top of their game here, and it was magnificent. Riddler gets some great lines and, assuming the idea of passing the Starro-Tech along through a loss to the Team was intended, some great strategems as well. Plus Bee, Luthor, and Sportsmaster remain at their high points as established by the previous string of episodes; "Young man, if you wish to detain me, contact my attorney" is easily one of the best lines out of anything ever.

In general both of the major fight scenes feature some of the best action in this series yet, and THAT is saying something. Everyone, including Rocket, got something to do and a chance to shine, and setting the big showdown on Santa Prisca - where the Team first truly came together and succeeded at their first official mission - was a brilliant way to show how much these young heroes have grown. As for the canyon fight, Superboy's final Shield-induced rampage looked like it was ripped straight from Guts in "Berserk," and the fanboy in me was sallivating at the utter AWESOMENESS of his rapid-fire pummeling of Mammoth. And speaking of which, it was a great touch to give us more than just generic mooks to take out by bringing back Mammoth, Shimmer, Blockbuster, and Bane. Again, it shows just how far the Team has come...especially Kaldur, whose tactical skills (especially in the appropriation of the mooks' Apokoliptan tech to neutralize Sportsmaster and Blockbuster) now rival even Batman's.

The real meat of this episode, though, wasn't the eye-gasmic action...but the confession scenes intercut throughout it. Magnificent bastards as they are, the one thing the Light continually underestimates is the familial bond that links this Team together. This is in contrast to the League, which as "Agendas" displayed quite thoroughly is a mixture of friends, colleagues, and begrudging allies. So getting to see Conner, Artemis, and M'gann choose - CHOOSE - to detach themselves from the narrative theme of "secrets and lies" showed a level of heroism that is beyond incredible. And kudos again to Kaldur for his completely nonchalant response to Miss Martian's true form. The man runs a tight ship, and this was the episode that truly showed it.

And finally...that last scene. Fortunately, the fact that the ENTIRE League was going to get Starro-Tech'ed was NOT spoiled for me, so while I was expecting Red Arrow's unconscious betrayal I certainly wasn't expecting to see every member of the Justice League bow down to Vandal Savage. It was ridiculously chilling imagery, and got me pumped as Hell for the grand finale.

AULD ACQUAINTANCE: This. Was. AMAZING.

As I said in my previous review, the Team has truly proven themselves as a tight-knit family and a well-oiled machine under Aqualad's expert leadership...and this episode provided the ultimate test for said proof. One moment of pure awesomeness from Red Tornado is enough to give them the opening necessary to take on the entire Justice League one-by-one, and WIN. A full season of gathering resources and allies, of training in stealth attacks and subterfuge, and it all pays off here.

It helps that they made it extremely clear that this was not opposition the Team could beat head-on; in a straight fist-fight Superman would pulverize Superboy, and in a straight race the Flash would leave Kid Flash in the dust. Instead the Team takes down the League through intelligent application of teamwork, the element of surprise, and no small amount of "dirty" tactics...allowing Crowning Moment of Awesome after Crowning Moment of Awesome without making the League seem to weak by comparison. This was especially true of the "World's Finest" duel that closed out the final fight scene, with an epic Fastball Special and a suitably dramatic first unveiling of Kryptonite on Earth-16.

The character that most shines here, however, is Vandal Savage himself. After "Coldhearted" showed us just how much of a beast the man is in terms of physical attributes, more "force of nature" than mere supervillain, this episode did the same for him on the mental and strategical side. The speech he gives to Dinah, Red Tornado, and Roy aboard the Watchtower underscores him as a very different type of Big Bad than most superhero shows, displaying a worldview and aspirations befitting a man who's been seeing the bigger picture for longer than recorded history.

He's a monster with a point, which is certainly the worst kind...but he's a monster nonetheless. And while what he's selling - an intergalactic empire with a utopian Earth at the center of it - can sound incredibly appealing, to the point where individuals as diverse as a leading captain of industry to a genius scientist to the personification of Chaos could buy into it completely, the price he demands is far too great. The world he represents is one where the individual has no protection from the supercriminal...and when that world includes powers, magic, and tech capable of killing hundreds, Vandal's vision is horrifically unacceptable.

There's so much I haven't yet mentioned about this incredible episode; Greg Weisman is without a doubt television's greatest expert at fitting the most action possible into 22 minutes, without making it seem cramped or forced. Red Arrow quickly becomes probably the show's most tragic character (and THAT is saying something) in a revelation that makes one revisit the entire season in a new light; the romance and sexual tension reach their peak in one glorious New Year's moment (followed by Red Tornado delivering one of the funniest lines of the season); Clark and Conner finally find their accord and my heart explodes with rainbows; and a mystery reaches through into the next season that leaves the viewer in chills.

This episode was the perfect season finale. I have no complaints.

JAC writes...

To elaborate on my last post...if you go back & change something, then there would be no reason to go back, therefore you never did, and nothing changes...ie. Bart would have to have been from a future in which Impulse had already arrived from the future 40 years ago, and the changes he made would be a part of his own.
history.
I swear, its not as complicated as it sounds.

JAC writes...

Mr. Greg,
I have full faith that you know what your doing, but I have to ask...how in the heck is future Neutron aware of the changes to the timestream if his entire criminal career never happened? For that matter, how/why did Impulse even travel back in time if the events that led him there never happened?
Time travel is only confuseing to those without common sense...its pretty cut-and-dry: if you go back in time & do something, thats what happened all along (there are really no such things as paradoxes), because if it didint, then there would be no reason to go.
Do you plan to rectify this plot hole, or just leave it as another "artistic liberty" for people to accept?
That may have sounded kind of snarky, but without some kind of "events have crrated an alternate universe," or other valid explanation, it seems kind of insulting to the intelligence of viewers when TV shows use time travel so flippently.
Thank you for your time.

Harmony writes...

Freckles don't just disappear with age. Where have Wally's beautiful freckles gone? Is he covering them with makeup?

Rebecca writes...

Does G. Gordon Godfrey work for Fox News?

LiLi writes...

Hi Greg -- thanks so much for taking time to answer fan questions like this! I have been a fan of your work since the 90s and Ask Greg is an amazing resource.

My question is: Back in the 10th century, did Brooklyn have a girlfriend or female clan mate he was close to romantically?

Thanks!

dude writes...

Why aren't the minority cast fully flesh out as the white cast?

Todd Jensen writes...

I've seen a few more episodes of Season Two of "The Spectacular Spider-Man", up to "Growing Pains", and continue to enjoy them. "Growing Pains" was my favorite because of all the Shakespeare quotes in it, which I had a lot of fun identifying, and which fitted the story so well. (Not to mention that Flash and Sally's attempts to do "Hamlet" were hilarious.)

And talk about a cliffhanger ending! I'm looking forward to the next episode after Venom's big revelation.

Andrew Laubacher writes...

Have you settled on the location of Superman's Metropolis? Based on the in-series evidence, I think it's safe to say that Earth-16's Gotham City is in Connecticut. My best guess for Metropolis is either Maryland (at the tip of Chesapeake Bay, as in FLASHPOINT) or the semi-traditional location of Delaware. I could go as far north as New Jersey, but that just doesn't seem right.

louis writes...

WHY have you introduced Impulse on the show? Now Kid Flash goes even more for a loser .... and yes it may not go as fast as Flash and even his grand-son is better than him

Derek writes...

What's your favorite take on Superman's cousin, Supergirl or Powergirl?

Drew writes...

1 How high is Mt Justice?

Anonymous writes...

Was that cop in Central City in Bloodlines Fred Chyre or Darryl Frye?

Impulses writes...

Hi,
First off I loved Bloodlines but I have a few questions. First off Does Bart AKA Impulse have the same aging problem he has in the comics? Secondly How old is Impulse? And lastly what is the mode?

J31 writes...

Have you ever coinsidred making another blog?(this one is kinda backed up.
Is it a nightmare when you see all the questions in the unanswered section,or does it make you feel nice knowing you have so many loyal fans?

AXE writes...

1. Did Neutron really say his name during the fight or did Bart just say he did to cover the fact he(Bart) knew his(Neutron) name?
2. Bart's Comicon line made no sense in context it's a wasteland, so why was it in there?
3. Was it planned that Superboy and Ms. Martian who used to date, and have been in every episode since their debut would miss their first episode in the series consecutavlly? or was it a "coincidence"?(i've watched enough of your shows to know you always plan it out in advance)

JB writes...

1. Did Jay try to help Barry in the original timestream?
2. Was it Difficult doing the fast fowarded speech between Barry and Bart?
3.Were the actors actually saying anything during the talk between Wally and the officer, or was it just to fill in the reason the guy asked "You getting any of this?"
4. Was Neutron always Bald?, if not what was his hair color?

Beth Y. writes...

My sister and I LOVE Young Justice, but she has to work on Saturday mornings and has missed "Beneath" and "Bloodlines." We don't have Tivo or DVR and she is strictly against illegal downloading of any kind and neither of the episodes is on demand or on the CN website. Most fans we know that watch them late download them from places we don't think are legal (though we haven't done enough thorough research to be sure). Do you know where she could watch the episodes legally without having to pay $3 an episode for them on iTunes?

Reverse Flash writes...

I love that you keep such an open dialog with your fans.

Malcolm writes...

Just a quick question for ya Greg. In Season 1 we had Black Canary train the team and in a way her pet project was Superboy. Does Dinah still train the team in Invasion or has Conner taken over that aspect of the Team?

Jack-Pumpkinhead writes...

Dear Greg,
Watched Bloodlines today, and IMPULSE!!! THANK YOU! Seriously, I like how you handled Impulse. Still get the annoying aspect of him in, but more interesting & with a simpler origin than the whole grown in a test tube and accelerated aging thing(why does that sound familiar? ^_^). Also enjoyed the whole thing with Roy & Jade, very cool. And I liked seing Jay again, very cool. And again, curse you for raising more questions while answering few to none! Regardless, great episode, keep it up!

Derek writes...

More of a comment on the last comment than anything else. We're only six episodes in so naturally not everything and everyone has been fleshed out for this season yet, including the minority characters.

I'm part of a minority too. I'm gay and we haven't been referenced at all in Young Justice, which I view as a flaw however if we were I would be happy with the kind of portrayal the other minority cast members have received.

The minority characters in Young Justice are being treated as characters like any other. Some are more prominent than others but that's the same for the white characters too, Connor is a fair bigger character in the series than Wonder Girl for example.

In Young Justice you have minority characters in big roles as both villains and heroes. In my opinion having a diverse representation of minorities is far superior to just favourable tokenism. We're all people and we're all fallible. If anything I think Aqualad in the first season could almost be seen as "favourable tokenism" becase he was too perfect. He's far more interesting to me now that we can see he's flawed.

Esteban writes...

Hey Greg, it's me again. I've got into Young Justice at the beginning of the year and I got to say I love it! I quickly got into the series and can't wait to see more.

There is something I would like to ask though, ever sense the start of season 2 I haven't heard Nightwing say any backformations (you know the words he likes to mess around with like "whelmed" "aster", "chalant", and so forth) like he did when he was Robin. Did he grew out of it? Does he not say those anymore?

I guess the same things can be said about Miss Martian sense she doesn't say "Hello Megan!" anymore, but she at least said it once out of the released episodes that aired at this time.

Anyway that is all I really wanted to know, thanks for the time!

Matthew writes...

Why does Central City have its own version of the Gateway Arch (and one with such a stupid looking foundation, at that)?

As a St. Louis metro area citizen, I find it insulting that Central City made a cheap knockoff of our famous monument. At least Neutron destroyed it.

TripleQM writes...

Hey some Beast Boy questions:

1. Where did Beast Boy get his cool outfit? Seems high tech.

2. Does Beast Boy not have shoes because it would interfere with his outfit turning into a collar when he turns into animals? Seems like that would be a problem.

3. So does Beast Boy wear that outfit 24/7? If he's caught off guard, as super heroes occasionally are, and he has to transform wearing normal clothing wouldn't he end up naked?

4. How intelligent is Beast Boy relative to other team members/characters? (Tim, Wally, Superboy etc.)

Anonymous writes...

Before the episode "Alienated" concluded, Wonder Woman stated that Icon was knowledgeable in intergalatic trial law. What other non-Earth related things is Icon knowledgeable in?